Expiation
Expiation
How do we know if what we are experiencing is Expiation? Like versus self inflicted suffering... I've done a search on the forum here and the Padgett messages and I'm not really getting a clear answer and I don't get clear answers from above either. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Re: Expiation
Hello Nancy,
Here is one person's experience of expiation -- https://new-birth.net/contemporary-mess ... -feb-2019/. If you go to the https://new-birth.net and in the Search box type "Expiation", other messages come up which may give some insights.
I hope that this helps.
Love,
Eva
Here is one person's experience of expiation -- https://new-birth.net/contemporary-mess ... -feb-2019/. If you go to the https://new-birth.net and in the Search box type "Expiation", other messages come up which may give some insights.
I hope that this helps.
Love,
Eva
Re: Expiation
Thank you so much Eva. Yeah I had read that particular message a while back and read it again and already search for the others as well. They don’t really seem to convey how we know. Maybe only in hindsight?
Re: Expiation
Hello Nancy,
I think that some things do become better understood in hindsight. Even receiving the Divine Love -- not everyone has physical sensations in receiving the Love, but over a period of time, we can see ourselves being changed.
We all have unique experiences, but if we are on the Divine Love path, no matter what suffering we may experience, we can be confident that God is with us, that the angels are helping us and that we will not be forsaken. So prayer and staying close to God will always remain the number one recommended course of action which will then help us see things like the cause of the situation, its purpose, the lessons to be learned and what else to do to solve the issue. Some things are also a matter of time and fulfillment of certain conditions that bring about the readiness for a situation to change.
I know that this doesn't specifically answer your question about expiation, but maybe it is less important to know what is going on behind the scenes and more important to make the most of the situation and learn the lessons that it is teaching us. Also seek to see the positive in it and to be grateful for the help that you're receiving. If you can, talk to one or more trusted friends who are willing to listen and/or pray with you.
I hope that this helps at least a little.
Love,
Eva
I think that some things do become better understood in hindsight. Even receiving the Divine Love -- not everyone has physical sensations in receiving the Love, but over a period of time, we can see ourselves being changed.
We all have unique experiences, but if we are on the Divine Love path, no matter what suffering we may experience, we can be confident that God is with us, that the angels are helping us and that we will not be forsaken. So prayer and staying close to God will always remain the number one recommended course of action which will then help us see things like the cause of the situation, its purpose, the lessons to be learned and what else to do to solve the issue. Some things are also a matter of time and fulfillment of certain conditions that bring about the readiness for a situation to change.
I know that this doesn't specifically answer your question about expiation, but maybe it is less important to know what is going on behind the scenes and more important to make the most of the situation and learn the lessons that it is teaching us. Also seek to see the positive in it and to be grateful for the help that you're receiving. If you can, talk to one or more trusted friends who are willing to listen and/or pray with you.
I hope that this helps at least a little.
Love,
Eva
Re: Expiation
Thanks again Eva. I really appreciate it. Yeah, I guess it's like everything else... if God wants me to know, I'll know. Otherwise let it go. I was hoping by making this post other people might mention how they have know for themselves. But since the forum isn't used much I guess that's not likely.
Re: Expiation
Nancy, I check in periodically, but don't have a good answer to this question given my fairly limited (conscious) experience with expiation. But in a pinch, I would say that one thing that, in hindsight, would suggestion expiation over self-inflicted suffering is that with the former, there is a clear sense of relief and almost 'lightness' afterwards. With our suffering (which is generally our mind run amuck), it seems to just lead to more of the same.
Re: Expiation
Thank you Beth. Yeah, no relief here. So lucky me!
Re: Expiation
Beth's comment that our suffering is generally caused by our mind run amuck (which is true) brought to mind some points that my husband recently picked up from his reading and is in the process of formulating into an article to share on his website. Here they are -- with my edits and additions:
(1) Contentment: Those who are content are truly the richest. Even if they have little, their minds are filled with happiness. We might be wealthy, but without contentment, we are poor because our mind will never be satisfied. This ties in with gratitude and seeing the positive in the negative.
(2) Possessions: The possessions that we gather and hoard are not lasting. We amass them, only to find that others will eventually enjoy them. So it is best not to get attached to them, but rather to seek the higher things of life.
(3) No Time to Lose: Since life is short and temporary, there is no time to waste. Today, it is so easy to allow the media or electronic devices to occupy us all day! Higher purposes are easily overlooked. Ours is a higher purpose -- soul development to reach the at-onement with God and His Celestial kingdom. We are encouraged to seek the kingdom first, and promised that other things will be taken care of.
(4) Eight Worldly Concerns: Is our life continually governed by (a) hope for happiness and fear of suffering; (b) hope for fame and fear of insignificance; (c) hope for praise and fear of blame; (d) hope for gain and fear of loss? Such an orientation cannot lead to lasting peace and contentment, regardless of circumstances.
(5) A gift or a burden? When facing difficult circumstances, we need to ask ourselves if we are going to use the situation as a gift or a burden. It is easy to make excuses and have a victim mentality that keep us defeated. In the end, the only one holding us back is ourselves!
(6) Our Perceptions and Interpretations: “We don’t see the world, but our own ideas about it” (Lama Ole Nydahl). We need to be perceptive how our ideas, assumptions, biases, and feelings influence the way we view people and situations. Often, reality is remarkably different – and we delude ourselves! This distorted view of life and circumstances can make us miserable.
(1) Contentment: Those who are content are truly the richest. Even if they have little, their minds are filled with happiness. We might be wealthy, but without contentment, we are poor because our mind will never be satisfied. This ties in with gratitude and seeing the positive in the negative.
(2) Possessions: The possessions that we gather and hoard are not lasting. We amass them, only to find that others will eventually enjoy them. So it is best not to get attached to them, but rather to seek the higher things of life.
(3) No Time to Lose: Since life is short and temporary, there is no time to waste. Today, it is so easy to allow the media or electronic devices to occupy us all day! Higher purposes are easily overlooked. Ours is a higher purpose -- soul development to reach the at-onement with God and His Celestial kingdom. We are encouraged to seek the kingdom first, and promised that other things will be taken care of.
(4) Eight Worldly Concerns: Is our life continually governed by (a) hope for happiness and fear of suffering; (b) hope for fame and fear of insignificance; (c) hope for praise and fear of blame; (d) hope for gain and fear of loss? Such an orientation cannot lead to lasting peace and contentment, regardless of circumstances.
(5) A gift or a burden? When facing difficult circumstances, we need to ask ourselves if we are going to use the situation as a gift or a burden. It is easy to make excuses and have a victim mentality that keep us defeated. In the end, the only one holding us back is ourselves!
(6) Our Perceptions and Interpretations: “We don’t see the world, but our own ideas about it” (Lama Ole Nydahl). We need to be perceptive how our ideas, assumptions, biases, and feelings influence the way we view people and situations. Often, reality is remarkably different – and we delude ourselves! This distorted view of life and circumstances can make us miserable.
Re: Expiation
I'm not sure the answer to your question, but I can share an experience I had that I'm pretty sure was expiation.
I was reading a mailchimp message from Andrew 2015. In the message, it said this (totally paraphrasing, haha)...
If you really do want to serve God and be a Light for him, you better get serious. It's time to address the darkness inside, be rid of that, and then be filled with God's Love. As you become more cleansed, you will better be able to serve God as a pure channel. Again this is totally paraphrased.
I did, however, take it very seriously. I have a deep desire to serve as God Wills and so I started praying. I asked God to find any darkness left in me and remove it. I asked for him to cleanse me, make me perfect so that I can serve as He desires. During this prayer, I have never felt so vulnerable with God. As soon as I started this prayer, I immediately started crying. In my mind, I was thinking, wow, something is happening. I'm not a cryer usually, but I let myself go. Luckily, no one was home so I was able to really let it all go. I stayed in that state, desiring God to purify me for His Will to be accomplished through me, tears rolling, and suddenly I felt a cool energy in my back. Something was happening and I could FEEL IT! It was like something was coming into my body or being released, but it was a colder sensation. I stayed in this state for about an hour, praying and crying, so vulnerable with God. After the tears stopped, I felt lighter. It was very exciting because I knew something had shifted, something had changed and it was good! My life certainly is not always this dramatic, it has only happened once like this. But I do feel I experienced a deep expiation and I'm so grateful for it.
I was reading a mailchimp message from Andrew 2015. In the message, it said this (totally paraphrasing, haha)...
If you really do want to serve God and be a Light for him, you better get serious. It's time to address the darkness inside, be rid of that, and then be filled with God's Love. As you become more cleansed, you will better be able to serve God as a pure channel. Again this is totally paraphrased.
I did, however, take it very seriously. I have a deep desire to serve as God Wills and so I started praying. I asked God to find any darkness left in me and remove it. I asked for him to cleanse me, make me perfect so that I can serve as He desires. During this prayer, I have never felt so vulnerable with God. As soon as I started this prayer, I immediately started crying. In my mind, I was thinking, wow, something is happening. I'm not a cryer usually, but I let myself go. Luckily, no one was home so I was able to really let it all go. I stayed in that state, desiring God to purify me for His Will to be accomplished through me, tears rolling, and suddenly I felt a cool energy in my back. Something was happening and I could FEEL IT! It was like something was coming into my body or being released, but it was a colder sensation. I stayed in this state for about an hour, praying and crying, so vulnerable with God. After the tears stopped, I felt lighter. It was very exciting because I knew something had shifted, something had changed and it was good! My life certainly is not always this dramatic, it has only happened once like this. But I do feel I experienced a deep expiation and I'm so grateful for it.
Re: Expiation
Susan, very interesting! My pretty recent experience was not quite as dramatic, but (lots of) tears were involved and I too felt lighter, like something had shifted afterwards. I mentioned it to Bill at that night's Pittsburgh circle, and he smiled and said something like "and now you know." And I did!
BTW, wondering if this was the message you referred to? Although this one is pretty good too.
BTW, wondering if this was the message you referred to? Although this one is pretty good too.